The small dog had a special ball
She loved with all her heart,
She groomed it, chased it, cared for it
As though they’d never part.
*
But one sad day it disappeared
Into the distant field,
A thorough search through grass and thorn
No trace of it would yield.
She has a lot of tennis balls
So, conscious of her plight,
I’ve thrown each one a hundred times
But none of them are right.
*
She looks up all expectantly
Then ducks, or lets it fall,
Somehow she knows that what I throw
Is not her special ball.
She just looks lost and awful sad,
And turns away instead.
I’ve tried with balls both old and new
She just retreats to bed.
*
She will not chase, she will not play,
She will not seek or fetch…
For days she’s looked all sad and hurt
And made me feel a wretch.
I know she’ll choose another ball
But meanwhile, what to do?
I hate to see the small dog
Looking all bereft and blue.
*
I know that I’ve complained a lot
About her ball-obsession
But I’d do anything to give
Her back her prized possession.
I feel I have betrayed her trust
And watch her deprivation,
I know her ball was all about
Love and communication.
*
She always brought it back, you see,
And always shared her joy,
It’s all about the love for her,
Not just about a toy.
Yet accidents will happen
And although I’ve searched the ground
And all the trees and bushes there
Her ball cannot be found.
*
I’ve fed her treats and cuddled her
But nothing helps at all…
I want to see her laugh again
And chase a tennis ball.
Oh, poor Ani – and poor you because you probably feel worse than she does. I hope the precious ball may turn up yet.
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I can’t see where it can have got to except beyond the electric fence….
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Poor Ani. I once spent 30 minutes digging up a snow drift to get a ball back. One of the neighbors came out and asked if I need help finding my marbles for surely that is what I had lost in that drift 😉
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Sounds like the kind of thing I do too…
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I’m sure you searched high and low for that ball…
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We did… I did… she did… 😉
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Reblogged this on O LADO ESCURO DA LUA.
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Thank you 🙂
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My dog does this as well. He is capable of some fairly serious mourning!
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I am just looking forward now to the adoption of the new ball… I can’t stand the guilt …
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Aww. That sad face would have me searching the bushes and trees too. What a cutie.
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She is gorgeous… but definitely obsessed….
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Lol
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Lovely rendering of a familiar situation, mine acts as if she’s forgotten it but I’m not sure
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II know Ani hasn’t…not yet….
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Oh those eyes. I just want to give her a hug ❤
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So do I…and I do…but it isn’t working this time 😦
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😦 ❤
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Oh poor Ani!!!
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Bless her…
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Oh no, Sue. How sad. Poor Ani.
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I know…
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Ani does sad face much too well.
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Trouble is, this time she means it…
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😦
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Poor Ani , Ruby loves her tennis balls too. If she looses one she makes us feel guilty! It is amazing that they know which ball is which 💗💜💙💟
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This was the ONLY ball…in spite of the dozens of others she has stockpiled… 😦
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So sad , I don’t know what to suggest💜
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Patience, I think…. ❤
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I hope so give her a big hug from Ruby and myself
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I will x
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Oh poor Ani….but she looks so adorable! I’m in love with her😘
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She is…which means I am lost 🙂
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Poor Ani 😦 I hope her ball turns up x
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I think it is gone for good, sadly…
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😦 Oh no…
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😦
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Nawww, poor bubby.
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I know…
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Poor Ani I hope she gets over her misery soon.
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So do I… I feel so guilty…
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Oh, poor wretched Ani. Maybe in the fall it’ll come to light? Will she remember it by then?
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I doubt that she would forget, but with English weather, it may not be in too good a shape by then…
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Such a poignant tail. I wish the ball will be found. 😐
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I wish it could be found too…
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I have 3 border collies and know this story all too well 😊
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With collies, I can well imagine 😉
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There are balls everywhere in our yard and throughout our house! Although if they loose there favourite one, they are depressed all day 😦
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Same here…but there was only ever One…
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Poor Ani! I hope she adopts a new favourite ball soon… It must be breaking your heart to see her so sad because her favourite ball is gone.
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She is making very sure that it does… and she is doing a good job of it 😉
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Oh my she is ADORABLE in her sadness. Sorry. Poor Ani. You captured her moods so well. I hope she finds that ball (or a suitable replacement) very soon. Sweet thing. She is gorgeous. ❤
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She is the most expressive and photogenic creature…and knows it, Sarah. Thankfully, we seem to have a tentative reconciliation with a new ball going on,,, 😉
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Aw poor Ani. Dear Ani, sometimes we just have to bite the bullet and trade up and say goodbye to old things. You can do it! ❤
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She appears to have finally done so…thank goodness 🙂 ❤
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❤
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Oh no, Ani. My heart gets sad to think you are sad. Please pick a new ball. I knows it won’t be like your old one but you musts be happy again, please. much paw love Dante xxx
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I did, Dante… still not sure about it, and I never know where it is yet… but I’m working on it. Couldn’t let her sit down too long with no fetch… 😉 xxx
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Much paw love, Ani. xxx
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Ditto, Dante ❤ xx
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Oh my! How Ani was attached to her very speciall ball. Bless her.
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She was, Marje. It took her nearly a week to choose another ball…and sehe is still not completely with it…
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Oh, poor Ani. It’s a bit like children with their comforters I suppose. I remember that well!
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It is…very similar, sadly…
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Toby tends to rip the coat off any tennis ball he gets hold of, and it doesn’t last long. I hope Ani gets over the loss of her favourite tennis ball, Sue. Who knows, maybe whoever has it will throw it back over the fence? Can the cows in the field, or those starlings throw a ball? 🤔 Goodness, I hope a cat hasn’t found it.
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Ani used to, but she’s calmed down so much since we moved here that she just licked it to death instead 🙂
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Oh, I’ve seen that happen as well. 😀 Sometimes, my feet get the Toby licking attention, but I’m far too ticklish.
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Ani waits till I doze on the sofa then washes my feet, like it or not 🙂
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Oh no, poor Ani. I hope that you manage to find her ball or that she finds a different one to love.
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She’s trying a new one at last 🙂
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That’s a good start 🙂
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It is a huge relief. I hated seeing her so miserable…
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Definitely. x
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A very sad story Sue and even sadder for Ani. How are your high jump skills? or a large thick rubber mat touching the ground as a second option because it clearly lies beyond that electric fence.
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We did all we could, Denis… and have the thorn scratches to prove it… but she is recovering slowly.
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I agree both of you have suffered. Maybe one of the cows ate it. I’ve heard of them eating strange things. I hope she cheers up soon. 😦 — Suzanne
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She’s getting there 🙂 x
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